Lemon Pudding Cookies are soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet – a definite family favorite! Added lemon zest brightens the flavors. They’re so easy to make too!
Lemon Pudding Cookies seem to perfectly fix my craving for anything and everything lemon this time of year! There are signs that Spring is coming- the snow is melting, green leaves are starting to peek through and my kids are wearing shorts. Wait – they’d wear shorts even if it was 35 degrees, so scratch that as a sign of impending Spring! I added lemon zest to these soft and chewy pudding cookies because it brightens the flavors. I love the vanilla chips in them too – they pair so well with the lemon.
What are lemon pudding cookies?
This recipe is a simple adaptation to my already beloved Orange Cream Cookies recipe. With a few little changes, we get a lot of great results. The tangy-sweet cookies really hit the spot in Spring or Summer. These cookies are so good and enjoyable you may find yourself eating a handful at a time, but it’s okay because this recipe makes over 3 dozen so there should be enough to last a few days.
LEMON PUDDING COOKIES INGREDIENTS
Sugar: We need 1 cup of granulated sugar to give these cookies the sweetness and chewiness that they need.
Butter: We will need to use 1/2 cup of softened butter to add richness and fats into the cookie dough.
Egg: We need 1 egg to help bind the cookies together perfectly.
Sour Cream: We want to use 1/3 cup of sour cream because it adds moisture and richness without leaving taste. It thickens the dough and bakes away leaving nothing but goodness in its wake.
Milk: Using 2 tablespoons of milk we can thin down the cookie dough enough to make it easily scoopable.
Salt: This is a natural flavor enhancer and we need 1/2 teaspoons of salt to really make the flavor of the cookie incredible.
Baking soda: We need 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda to help give these cookies the leavening that they need to puff up as they bake.
Flour: The base of our cookie dough is 2 cups of all-purpose flour.
White Chocolate Chips: We need a 12 ounce bag’s worth of white chocolate chips (about 2 cups). Use your favorite brand.
Pudding Mix: Using a box of pudding mix makes cookies soft and chewy, but a small box of the lemon pudding will make these cookies taste incredible and give them a yellow hue.
Lemon Zest: We want to use the zest from a lemon (about 2-3 teaspoons of zest) to give these cookies a refreshing taste.
How to Make Lemon Pudding Cookies
In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
Add in the egg and the milk.
In another bowl, combine the sour cream, pudding mix, salt, and baking soda.
Add the flour and the sour cream mixture to the creamed butter and egg mixture, mixing together until smooth.
Fold in the white chocolate chips and the lemon zest.
Optionally, you can add in a single drop of yellow food coloring to get a nice color.
Drop the cookies by the rounded tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy!
LEMON PUDDING COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 TBSP milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- 1 12 oz bag white chocolate chips
- 1 small box lemon pudding mix
- zest from 1 lemon about 2-3 tsp
Instructions
- Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg and milk. In separate bowl, combine sour cream, pudding mix, salt and soda. Add flour and sour cream to butter mixture, mixing until smooth. Mix in white chocolate chips. Add 1 drop of yellow food coloring if desired.
- Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!
Nutrition
How long are lemon pudding cookies good for?
If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies will last a week. If stored in an airtight container in the freezer, these cookies can last up to 3 or 4 months. Just thaw at room temp before eating.
What does pudding mix do to cookies?
Adding a box of dry pudding mix into the cookie dough batter will help to make the cookies nice and chewy as well as soft and flavorful. Not only that but it helps to retain some moisture so the cookies taste really moist and not dry or stale, even as the cookies age.
If you love these Lemon Pudding Cookies, be sure to try some of our other favorite cookie recipes too!
- HOT COCOA COOKIES
- DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES
- BANANA CREAM COOKIES
- RASPBERRY MELTAWAY COOKIES
- COPYCAT SWIG SUGAR COOKIES
- THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- VALENTINES SUGAR COOKIES
- SOFT CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES
- PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERFINGER COOKIES
- ZUCCHINI COOKIES
- SUPER SOFT SUGAR COOKIES
- BLACKBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES
- MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- BANANA CREAM PIE COOKIES
- CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Lemon pudding cookies are a simple cookie recipe made with boxed pudding mix. Adding in white chocolate chips and fresh lemon zest these cookies are sure to brighten anyone’s day!
Andrea @ICnMake FB says
These were delish. I added a dash of lemon extract. There were no instructions on the zest so I added it in (also after baked) (add..fold..add..fold). I dropped the cook time to 8 minutes. I prefer a more gooey cookie. My husband says they are addicting. A nice Easter cookie.
Jessica says
So glad you like them! I love lemon zest- I add it to my cookie dough prior to baking. {I updated the post to reflect that.} Yum! I’m with you on a soft cookie too. I eat them right out of the oven!
Ginny says
Could these be made with sugar free pudding mix and splenda?
Jessica says
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not! Let me know how it goes!
Kristi says
Ginny did you make these cookies with sugar free pudding? Id love to know how the turned out.
Megan Clark says
I added a tsp of lemon juice (I’m a lemon flavor craver) and LOVED these..
Jessica says
good call! I LOVE lemon too- sometimes I feel like I have to tone it down for my recipes. I really want to PUT IN ALL THE LEMON! 😉
Diane says
The pudding mix is it instant or the other?
Jessica says
You just add in the dry pudding mix- I use instant!
Stacey says
Made these a few days ago for a potluck and they are so good! Made a couple changes though. I added about a tsp of lemon extract, I refrigerated the dough before baking, and I baked them at 350. This recipe is a keeper!
Jessica says
So glad you liked them!
Ramona Redmond says
Self rising flour or all purpose flour? Thanks!
Jessica says
All purpose flour!
Tabatha says
Can you define a small box of pudding? I usually only find the one that is 3.4 ounces.
Jessica says
Yes, it’s the 3.4 oz box!
Julie says
Can you freeze the cookie dough for later on
Jessica says
Of course!
shereen says
Do these need to be refrigerated since there’s sour cream in them?
Jessica says
Nope! No need to refrigerate after baking!
Grace says
I would recommend adding the zest into your instructions! I forgot and had to add later…Still, these were a huge hit with my husband! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jessica says
It’s in step 2 Grace! I’m glad you didn’t forget it, it adds such a nice lemon flavor!
Tammie says
When I made these they were soo flat they were see through I had to add 2 cups more flour just so they had some body to them. But they were delicious!!!
Jessica says
Hmmm… was your butter softened Tammie?
Diane hHangartner says
Can they be frozen once baked or before? Which way is best?
Jessica says
If you freeze them, I prefer to scoop the dough onto a lined cookie sheet and freeze the dough balls. Once solid, you can store them in a plastic freezer bag. Then you just bake as you’d like- fresh baked cookies are the best!
Rhonda says
These are delicious! Very moist.
Alison says
Thank you Rhonda!
Lynn Cermak says
My husband and I couldn’t eat these cookies fast enough – and he pretty much
doesn’t like anything lemon but loves these cookies. Making another batch today.
They’re the best!
5 stars.
Jessica says
Thanks Lynn! Glad your husband enjoyed them!
Nerak says
In Step 2 you have listed two things to do with the sour cream. At first it says to mix the sour cream in a separate bowl with the pudding mix with salt and baking soda. Then it says add flour and sour cream to the butter/sugar mix. Did you mean all of the sour cream bowl contents? You should clarify. Also, I don’t see where the seat comes in (not updated per your note)?
Jessica says
I’ve adjusted the recipe as I’ve made them each time (and time again!) Honestly, it’s a super simple cookie recipe- just add the ingredients in the order listed and mix. Add the white chips in last. Bake. : )
jane says
i asked for the nutrition list for the lemon pudding cookies, as on sodium diet.
Please answer
Jessica says
I updated the recipe card to include the nutritional information!
Kaetty Morales says
Mines came out like scones, what did I do!